As legalization of marijuana approaches in Canada, 51 cannabis retail applicants in Saskatchewan are under review.

The province will look at each application and decide whether to grant permits to legally sell marijuana to the public once it is legalized later this fall.

Allen and Denise Kilback in the R.M. of Edenwold were granted a permit. The couple owns the Happy Hour Liquor Store in Pilot Butte. They hope to make a pot shop that is similar. The Kilbacks have visited stores in the United States, and want their store to provide a world class, safe feeling.

"It’s going to be a high end dispensary. Where people are going to want to come to, and feel safe, and have excellent customer service,” Kilback said.

The Kilbacks have 45 days to begin the permitting process to sell marijuana, and are rushing to be ready. They plan to apply for a building permit this week.

"First of all we've got to get our zoning finalized with the R.M., we've got to get a building permit in. We've got to work with SLGA to get our final license,” Kilback said.

In order to be granted a permit, the Kilback’s must commit to opening the doors within 12 months of legalization, or else the SLGA would take the permit back.

“We go to the secondary list or the supplementary list for someone else who was picked through the lottery, to say now it's your turn,” SLGA CEO Cam Swan said.

The SLGA plans to assess the market over the next year to determine if any more permits are needed.

If the Kilbacks receive a permit, but decide to sell it after opening a store, they can, but the buyer will need to be vetted.

“They have to come back and apply to SLGA for that permit before we would re-issue it in the purchaser’s name,” Swan said.

Permits to sell will not be valid until legalization happens. The successful applicants will be the only ones granted permits to legally sell.